MoMA & Modern Atlanta

Modern Atlanta officially starts this weekend, YIPPIEEEE! If you aren't familiar, you should be ashamed of yourself. Here is the deal (straight from their website):

"The original event was born in 2007 out of a desire for an Atlanta-based forum diverse in content, eclectic in spirit, and international in appeal. Each year the event will be built on these aspirations, attracting a diverse range of speakers, exhibitors and attendees prepared to push the boundaries of applied contemporary design and urbanism.

MA’s aim is to embrace and connect a wide spectrum of practices including architecture and design, retail and trade, industry and academia, the arts, and NPO foundations. MA activities attract innovators, visionaries, independent minds, creative leaders, students, and non-specialist audiences with discussions on how design and innovative products improve everyday lives. MA provides the right conditions and venues for manufacturers and designers to successfully connect with businesses, consumers, and the public alike, by way of elevated local and international design exhibitions that expose all facets of the creative process including innovation and implementation. MA produces programs and events and provides marketing and promotional services for cultivating and showcasing the international design industry in Atlanta. These programs and services are not only a platform for professionals, but also an arena for experimental and student work, and a meeting point for the international community."

I will be doing my best to hit up as many of the events as possible but if you're like me, this is your busy season. I will for sure be checking out Karim Rashid at Pedini on Wednesday and I will be hitting up Room & Board for Annette Joseph's presentation.

All of that is good and well, but not the point of this post. Last night I had the privilege of being invited to the 25th Anniversary Dinner for Corporate Environments. It was a beautiful evening at The High Museum with a private viewing of the "Modern By Design" Exhibition, of which Corporate Environments is a sponsor. This to me is the highlight of MA2011, it's just a fantastic collection borrowed from MoMA and displayed beautifully. I wasn't supposed to take pictures, but I didn't know that until I had already taken some, you're welcome...It is a really beautiful exhibition and each floor is better then the one before it. I got some really good pictures, but I don't want to ruin it for you. GO SEE IT.

This is a robot. He builds furniture. He is Joris Laarman's idea.


This is one of his tables.


It is made from zillions of these tiny metal cubes and held together with glue.


Super awesome. I used that light fixture at DIFFA one year but in white.


MWDA's Table for DIFFA 2008

Those cushy-cabbage looking things are cute. It took every ounce of restraint not to squish them down.


That's enough out of me (maybe even too much) go see it for yourself.
"Modern by Design" at The High Museum of Art
June 4th - August 21st

Olivia the Ostrich

Ahhhh the magic of DIFFA and the lengths we go to ensure our tables are fabulous. This year's example, Olivia the Ostrich. I had my heart set on some sort of carousel animal, I called every single antique dealer within a 50 mile radius looking for one. And then I stumbled upon this ostrich, she so wasn't what I was looking for, at least not in her current state. She was metallic lavender with metallic teal feathers and covered in sequins. Don't get me wrong, I love myself a sequin but it just wasn't working for me. The only way I was going to want her was if I could paint her. SO WE DID!!! Olivia is now hot pink and amazing! Totally the talk of the table, everyone thinks she's hilarious and she is the reason people seem to like our table, she is the unexpected surprise! This table ended up taking on a much more light hearted feeling then I had originally anticipated, so because of that I couldn't use the awesome artwork I had borrowed, but I feel like Olivia more then made up for it! Take a look at our "Concrete Circus" table!

This is Olivia before her
Raspberry Sorbet Spray Paint Make-Over

MWDA Team & Olivia, we heart her!

I also must say a huge thank you to all of the companies & people who helped with our table this year. Bradley Hughes for making our giant table, Pierce Martin for the Bar stools, Tecnosedia for the Seat Cushions, Gloriosa Design for the Drapes, Brian Patrick Flynn & Armour & Co. for their Jonathon Adler Animals, & Stray Dog Designs for the paper mache happiness!

I'M BACK & I'M BUSY!!!!

I FINALLY HAVE MY LIFE BACK! The NCIDQ is over, keeping my fingers crossed that I passed! I honestly don't even want to think about it, strike that...I don't have time to think about it because MWDA is slammed with fun things going on this fall! First up is DIFFA, Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids, one of my favorite events and so much fun to be a part of. This event has come so quickly and seemingly out of no where, I have just been so busy studying that it totally got away from me. But today (4 days before I have to install) Mark & I finally nailed down the concept. The table we are designing is for the tent rental company, Tents Unlimited so we decided to play on that idea of a circus tent...take a look at the components below and let me know what you think...